The Holy Spirit is Here!
Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren't all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? … We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” (Acts 2:7-8, 11)
This church has articulated her mission: To rouse and send God’s people in the University and adjacent community as disciples of Jesus Christ and ambassadors of the Kingdom of God, through sharing the holistic gospel. For one to be a successful member of this Chapel, two actions must result: The first is following Jesus Christ – that is what disciples do; this goes with learning His ways, listening to His Word, imitating Him, growing in faith to do what He says you should do, abandoning one’s life to following Jesus Christ wholeheartedly. The second action is representing the Kingdom of God; this means living and showing oneself as a true member of the Kingdom of God though confession and character, inner peace and confidence, and attracting many more to the Kingdom (as they observe and admire the member).
Today we commemorate the special arrival of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. It was a dramatic scene about which many marveled and were utterly amazed. It was happening for the first time ever, and happening on a day when Jerusalem was filled with many people local and international. It was a strong statement from the God of Heaven – speaking that all the earth may hear; the wonders of God were declared in all languages available by men who were from one unschooled village tribe. By this event, God opened a new chapter in the implementation of His mission.
God’s plan to reach out and save all people is evident from the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament. However, when the Jews were chosen to be a royal priesthood and a holy nation, they drifted into the bucket mentality – they wanted to receive and retain the blessings and gifts of God; yet He desired them to have a pipe mentality – to receive and spread to other nations the blessings and gifts of God. The attempts for God to explain this mission to the Jews climaxed in the coming of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost; clearly all nations were invited to hear the wonders of God as proclaimed by Galileans in the different tongues. One prophecy received its absolute clarity: “And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved” (Joel 2:32). This ‘everyone’ included everyone.
In the same way the Holy Spirit came to reinvigorate the disciples for the mission of God that everyone may hear the good news, the Holy Spirit is here to empower you to be a true disciple and ambassador of the Kingdom of God. The actions of following Christ and representing the Kingdom are impossible without the Holy Spirit. He is here to enable you live the mission of the Church, that God may harvest some redeemed from every nation.
God bless you all.